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WIN Program: Witnessing in Neighborhoods

Advanced Class on ’s Witnesses

Week One: The History of Jehovah’s Witnesses

The First Fundamental Bible Church Primera Iglesia Biblica Fundamental 11000 Washington Boulevard Whittier, CA 90606 Phone: 562-695-FFBC (562-695-3322) Fax: 562-695-3320 http://www.ffbc.net

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Is Witnesses for Jesus, Inc ministry affiliated with a specific church? Is this www.4jehovah.org website a religion?

Many who are in the process of leaving organization or are thinking of leaving may not want to think about religion. In fact, many who leave have totally rejected religion. Witnesses for Jesus, Inc is not a religion. Although we are a non-profit Christian ministry committed to sharing a Biblical perspective on Jehovah's Witness beliefs and practices, we do not endorse any specific church or religious denomination. We are funded by individual people who believe in our mission, vision and values. http://4jehovah.org/

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This is the webpage for WIN on JW http://www.ffbcwinprogram.net/5852.html

Jehovah’s Witnesses History

The Jehovah's Witnesses was begun by in 1872. He was born on February 16, 1852, the son of Joseph L. and Anna Eliza Russell. He had great difficulty in dealing with the doctrine of eternal hell fire and in his studies came to deny not only eternal punishment, but also the Trinity, and the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. When Russell was 18, he organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his aberrant ideas on doctrine. He co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour and by 1884 Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom, and founded Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). The first edition of The Watchtower magazine was only 6,000 copies each month. Today the Witnesses' publishing complex in Brooklyn, New York, churns out 100,000 books and 800,000 copies of its two magazines--daily! Russell claimed that the Bible could be only understood according to his interpretations. A dangerous arrangement since he controlled what was written in the Watchtower magazine. This kind of assertion is typical among leaders of cult religions. After the death of Russell on Oct. 31, 1916, a Missouri lawyer named Joseph Franklin Rutherford took over the presidency of the Watch Tower Society which was known then as the International Bible Students Association. In 1931 he changed the name of the organization to "The Jehovah's Witnesses." After Rutherford's death, Nathan Knorr took over. After Knorr, Frederick William Franz became president. The Society was led by Mr. Henschel who died in 2003. The group has over 4 million members world wide. The Watchtower Society statistics indicate that 740 house calls are required to recruit each of the nearly 200,000 new members who join every year. The Jehovah's Witnesses have several ‘book studies' each week. The members are not required to attend, but there is a level of expectation that gently urges converts to participate. It is during these ‘book studies' that the Jehovah's Witness is constantly exposed to counter Christian teachings. The average Jehovah's Witness, with his constant Watchtower indoctrination, could easily pummel the average Christian when it comes to defending his beliefs. The Jehovah's Witnesses vehemently portray the doctrine of the Trinity as pagan in origin and that Christendom, as a whole, has bought the lie of the devil. Along with denying the Trinity is an equally strong denial of the deity of Christ, the deity of the Holy Spirit, the belief in hell, and eternal conscious punishment in hell.

Written by CARM

Jehovah's Witnesses in a Nutshell

According to Jehovah's Witness' theology, God is a single person, not a Trinity, who does not know all things and is not everywhere. He first created Michael the Archangel through whom He created all "other things," including the universe, the earth, Adam and Eve, etc. This creative work took God 42,000 years. At one point, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society taught that God ruled the universe from somewhere in the Pleiades star system. They have since modified this to say that the "Pleiades can no longer be considered the center of the universe and it would be unwise for us to try to fix God's throne as being at a particular spot in the universe."1 Such changes and even contradictions in teaching are frequent in the Watchtower organization and when a doctrine changes, they tell their followers that the light of truth is getting brighter. After Adam sinned, the paradise which God had created for them, was ruined. So, God instituted a system of redemption which was revealed in the Bible and would ultimately lead to the crucifixion of Jesus the messiah. But, in the meantime, God needed to have a visible, theocratic organization on earth to accurately represent Him. Throughout history, this true organization had a remnant of faithful Jehovah's Witnesses (Noah, , , , etc.) but it wasn't until the late 1800's that Charles Taze Russell formerly began what is now known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which is run out of Brooklyn, New York. This organization claims to be the only true channel of God's truth on earth today and that it alone can properly interpret God's word since it is the angel directed, of God on earth. When it came time for the savior to be born, Michael the Archangel became a human, in the form of Jesus. Jesus grew and kept all the laws of God and never sinned. Finally, when Jesus died, it was not on a cross, but on a torture stake, where he bore the sins of mankind -- but this did not include Adam's sins. Jesus rose from the dead as a spirit, not physically (his body was dissolved and taken by God) and during his visitations to people on earth, he manifested a temporary physical body for them to see and touch. Thus began the true Christian church of Jehovah's followers. Throughout history there have been faithful Jehovah's witnesses who have managed to keep The Truth in spite of the "demonic" doctrine of Trinitarianism that has permeated the Christian church in "Christendom." Christendom is filled with pastors who are antichrists, in churches run by Satan, and who support the earthly governments which are all of the devil. In other words, all of is false and only the Jehovah's Witness "theocratic" organization lead by several men in Brooklyn, New York, is true. In the late 1800's, a young man of 18 years, by the name of Charles Taze Russell, organized a Bible class in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1879 he sought to popularize his ideas on doctrine so he co-published The Herald of the Morning magazine with its founder, N. H. Barbour and by 1884 Russell controlled the publication and renamed it The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom, and founded Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society (now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society). Russell served as the teacher and guide for the organization which taught that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and is now reigning in heaven. When Jesus finally returns physical to earth, which will happen at the time of the Battle of , He will set up his earthly 1000 year kingdom. During this 1000 year period, people will be resurrected and have a second chance to receive eternal salvation by following the principles of Jehovah's Organization on earth known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. After the millennium, those who reject God and His organization will be annihilated; that is, they will cease to exist. The rest of the Jehovah's Witness who have faithfully followed God's organization on earth will be saved from eternal annihilation and reside forever on Paradise earth. Heaven, however, is a place for a special group of 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses -- the only ones who are "born again" and who alone are allowed to take communion in their annual communion service. These are the ones who have "immortal life," all other Witnesses have "everlasting life." Those with immortal life do not have resurrected bodies. They have "spirit bodies." Those on Paradise Earth have everlasting life and consists of a resurrected body that must be maintained through eating, rest, etc. When you study with the Jehovah's Witness, you agree to attend five meetings a week where you are taught from Watchtower literature. You cannot be baptized until you have studied their material for at least six months and have answered numerous questions before a panel of elders. Men are not supposed have long hair or wear beards and women are to dress in modest apparel. They refuse to vote, salute the flag, sing the "Star Spangled Banner, celebrate birthdays or Christmas, won't take blood transfusions, and they can't join the armed forces. A schedule of door-to-door canvassing is required where you distribute the Watchtower literature, acquire donations, and forward all monies to the headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. If you ever leave the Jehovah's Witness organization, you are considered an apostate and are to be shunned. ______1. Watchtower 11/15/53, page. 703.

Written by CARM

WHO ARE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES? - Their History, Beliefs and Practices History of The Watchtower Organization:

1852 Founder Charles Taze Russell was born 1870’s Russell studied the doctrines of Second Adventists: , , George Stetson and Nelson Barbour 1879: Russell began publishing Zion’s Watchtower And Herald of Christ’s Presence (Precursor to The Watchtower magazine) 1881: Main Legal Entity Founded - Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania 1909: Headquarters Moved to Brooklyn, New York - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc 1916: Charles Taze Russell died 1917-1942: Second Watchtower President “Judge” Joseph F. Rutherford 1931: The name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” adopted. 1942-1977: Third Watchtower President Nathan H. Knorr 1978-1992: Fourth Watchtower President: Frederick W. Franz 1992-2000: Fifth Watchtower President: Milton George Henschel 2000: Change in Organizational Structure: Three Corporations Formed: Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Support Services Watchtower “Governing Body” relinquished control of the organization to the Board of Directors, under Don A. Adam Jehovah’s Witness Statistics in 2004: 6 Million active Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.2 Billion hours spent annually in door-to-door proselytizing The Watchtower and Awake! magazines distributed in over 230 countries 6 Million “Bible Studies” (one-on-one Watchtower indoctrination lessons) conducted with potential converts 98 Thousand Congregations Adventist Theology Adopted in Jehovah’s Witness Literature: Christ’s Invisible Presence occurred in 1874, Date was later changed to 1914 Investigative Judgment = Christ’s Inspection of Spiritual Food from 1874-1878, Later changed to 1914-1919 Conditional Mortality, Sleep = Soul does not survive death, Resurrection of only the worthy, No Hell Restoration of Paradise Earth False Prophetic Dates: 1874: Date for Christ’s “invisible presence,” changed to 1914 1914: End of the world 1915: Replaced 1914 for the end of the world 1918: End of the world, the destruction of churches 1925: End of the world with the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 1929: “” House of Princes built in San Diego, deeded to king David and other biblical for their “soon” return upon the earth 1940’s: End of the World would come with the “soon” battle of Armageddon 1975: 6,000-years of human history, the end of the world would come within “months, not years.” 1994: 80-year Generation of 1914 should bring the end of the world, 1995 redefined the word “generation” to be symbolic of general readiness for the end. Controversial Practices No holiday or birthday celebrations No participation in flag salutes, voting, politics or war activities No blood transfusions Limited higher education Limited contact with non-Jehovah’s Witness friends and family Shunning of former Jehovah’s Witnesses Forbidding critical thinking and disagreement Forbidding literature critical of the group Forbidding non-Jehovah’s Witness religious broadcasting and church attendance Mandatory door-to-door proselytizing Jehovah’s Witness Bible - New World Translation Translators had insufficient knowledge of biblical manuscripts Translation distorts the Deity of Christ at John 1:1; 8:58; Hebrews 1:8 and other passages to support Watchtower doctrine Inserts God Name “Jehovah” into the New Testament without manuscript support

Jehovah’s Witness VS Christian Doctrine Comparison Chart WATCHTOWER DOCTRINE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE The Father alone is the only true God Jehovah God is Father, Son, Holy “Jehovah.” Spirit. – Matthew 28:19; 48:16; Zechariah 2:8-11; 11:13; 12:10; 2 23:2-3; John 1:1-3; 20:28; Hebrews 1:8 Jesus is the created Archangel Jesus is not created. He is Almighty “Michael.” God. – Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 7:3; Isaiah 44:24 c.f. John 1:3; Isaiah 48:12 c.f. Revelation 1:7-8, 17,18; 2:8; 22:12-13, 20 Jehovah raised Jesus from the dead in Jesus raised His physical body from the an angel “spirit body,” devoid of His dead, fully human and fully God. – human body. Luke 24:39; John 2:18-22; 10:17-18; Acts 17:31; Philippians 2:5-11 God’s “holy spirit” is an impersonal The Holy Spirit who is God is also a force. Person. - Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16- 17; 2 Corinthians 3:17 Only a special group of 144,000 people All believers are free to interpret interpret Scripture. Scripture by the leading of God’s Spirit. – John 16:13; 1 John 2:27

Salvation is found through faith in Salvation is in Jesus alone. –John 5:39- Jehovah, Jesus and performance in the 40; 10:28-29; 14:6; Acts 4:12 Watchtower organization. Jesus is not the mediator for all Jesus is the mediator for all who place mankind, but only for 144,000 people. their faith in Him. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6 Heaven and the born-again experience All believers are born-again and enjoy is only for 144,000 Christians who lived eternal life in Heaven – John 3:3-7; from 33 A.D. – 1935A.D. 1:12; 1 John 5:1; Revelation 7:9-15; 19:1 Survivors of Armageddon will rebuild After the 1,000-year reign of Christ, the earth to make it into a Paradise God will completely destroy this during Christ’s 1000-year reign. present universe and recreate a new heavens and a new earth. – 2 Peter 3:7, 10-13; Revelation 21:1-2 All Old Testament believers and All believers will be able to live in both Christians who are not in the 144,000 Heaven and Earth and be able to go group will live on earth eternally. back and forth between both places like Jesus did in His resurrected body. – Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28-29; Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Acts 1:11; 1 John 3:2 The human soul survives death into The human soul ceases to exist at eternity. – Matthew 10:28; 2 Corinthians 5:8; death. Philippians 1:23-24; Revelation 6:9-11

Hell does not exist as a place of Hell is eternal punishment – Matthew torment, but is symbolic of the common 25:46; Mark 9:43, 47-49; Luke 16:22-29; grave. Revelation 14:9-11; 20:13-15; 21:8 Christians avoid being involved in war, Christians bring a “salt and light” voting and political activities influence into every aspect of culture, including war and politics. – Matthew 5:13-16; 8:5-13; Acts 10; Romans 16:23; Ecclesiastes 3:8 Blood transfusions violate God’s law Blood transfusions replenish the against “eating” blood so they must be current blood supply and do not avoided. metabolize as food does in the act of “eating.” Thus, they are acceptable for Christians as they do not violate God’s law on blood. Jesus died on a upright torture stake Jesus did not die on an upright stake, and not a cross. The cross is shunned as but on the cross. The cross is viewed as a “pagan” symbol. a symbol of spiritual life in Christ. – John 20:25; Matthew 27:37; 1 Corinthians 1:18 All religious and non-religious holidays Christians are free to choose whether and birthday celebrations are banned, or not to celebrate holidays. – Romans except for the celebration of the 14:5-6; Colossians 2:16; Jesus memorial of Jesus’ death. celebrated Hanukah. - John 10:22-23; Job’s sons celebrated their birthdays. – Job 1:4